Do you find that the types of scents you're drawn to match other aesthetic areas in your life?

For example, modern art / architecture / music / jewelry and modern frags?

Victorian?

Baroque?

Romantic?

Art Deco?

Rustic / country?

Punk?

Ethnic?

etc., etc.,

Or, do your scent preferences compliment your other aesthetic bents?

I'm asking because visually I strongly prefer modern art and mid century architecture, but classic literature, music of all kinds, jewelry that is either very vintage or modern, and generally like to have visual things that are not too frilly or complicated around me. My scent preferences, on the other hand, run to the much more complex; modern frags have not been appealing to me much, which surprises me due to my preferences in other aesthetic areas of life. Do you find that is the case with you as well?

My favorite fragrances are the venerable classics and other classically-styled scents. My taste in art, however, runs to those newfangled guys - they've started to call themselves impressionists or some such thing.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both and be one traveler, long I stood and looked down one as far as I could to where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, ...... I shall be telling this with a sigh somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. - Robert Frost

... after some thought ... no, I guess there is no relationship. And the fact there isn't, is really remarkable. I think your question, seattlelight, is even more profound now that I know there appears to be no discernable pattern--a eureka moment . Huh. Really fascinating.

In a world where 6 million people are added each month, every landscape matters.

As a Gemini/Snake/Taoist I love whatever is in front of me at the moment. And that goes for all aspects of existence (saw the most adorable ladybug today...going about it's little business. Made me think of Moschino.).....In tai chi class, my chi partner said I smelled of freshly ironed sheets - although I was wearing Noa.

Those gorgeous, Byzantine turnip-topped Russian churches? Avignon!! But also Tabu. I love Gehry's work - Odeur 71!! The Pre-Raphs? (See Asha's Avatar!!) Libertine!! Evening on the screened-in-porch with Sweet-tea and Pynchon? L'Heure Bleu.

Musse 'n' Me - we're all over the place.

"The world is ruled by letting things take their course. It cannot be ruled by interfering."Lao Tze

I suppose I'm most attracted to simplicity and spaciousness of form or structure but with a tactility and sensuality of expression? Somebody many years ago (a sculptor) accused me of being a trendy romanticist and a boring classicist. I suppose I being disagreeable at the time. One must worship artists unconditionally. :-) But actually he was quite right. I've outgrown my trendy romanticism, but it looks like I'll always be a classicist. And I do tend to go for the classics in frags.

I don't think so.
I like heavy, sturdy, dark wood in the home (love it, and hate when it's painted over), and dark colors (rugs, drapes). I detest glass tables and really sheer drapes. I also like intricately carved wood boxes. I prefer dim lighting. I like classical and even gothic architecture. In music I love dissonance, I like several tempo changes, and random (seemingly) taps of a bow.
When it comes to perfume I insist on transparency. I also like to know what I'm getting, and don't enjoy a perfume that goes through several distinct changes...I'm not interested in the journey. I like the base- so much that I don't want to spend 45 minutes getting there. I don't much care for most classics. I like simple, uncluttered scents.
Yet, I can recognize a general aesthetic. It must be useful beyond it sensual appeal. There is space on the table to place a drink on, and even it's decoration has other purposes (books or candles). I will never have white carpet, or "museum scents", nor do I have any use for scents that must be layered and combined to be palatable.

If there is a pattern I don't think it runs across all aesthetics for me. In most things I tend to have specific artists/creators that I like the work of, this doesn't seem to hold true in scent.
Architecture- AWN Pugin, GG Scott and F Lloyd-Wright. Most Gothic Revival, early Gothic, some Classical, and Art Deco.
Art-Bauhaus, Francis Bacon, Marc Chagall, Tamara de Lempicka, Paula Rego, and Edward Hopper. Some Pre-Raphaelite and some Orthodox Russian and Greek religious art.
Music-Well my iPod must have the weirdest mix ever. Sex Pistols follow Saint-Saens, who follow Dizzee Rascal, and Billie Holiday after The Young Punx. Weird.
Literature-Weirder and even less cohesive than my music taste.
Scent-Gourmands, Orientals, violets, roses.

Good thread, it's got me pondering.

Last edited by chaoskitty; 14th May 2008 at 08:47 AM.
Reason: because spelling and baby wrangling don't mix

Since I've devoted my life to art history, and quite recently become very interested in the world of scents I've been thinking a lot about these things, but my thoughts are still quite blurred so I'll have to get back to you on that.

I think my taste in perfumes is quite close to my taste in interior decoration: I usually say that my super-ego has the taste of a japanese minimalist and my id the one of madame de Pompadour - and the result is a mess - but I love everything in it.

Guess I'm a chamealeon (sp?) as my tastes change with my moods. This must be why I'm never completely satisfied with either the decor of my home, my clothing, or my fragrance!!! Like Quarry ~ I'm having a 'eureka moment'!

I don't know about tastes in terms of specific periods and styles, but I have noticed that certain general aesthetics align. For instance, I'm always drawn to colors that are shades of reds, pinks, purples, browns, and muted greens. I think many of the fragrances I love would "translate" into these colors. I also tend to like things visually that are rustic, natural, textured, earthy (but in a spare, well-designed way, not in a hippie kind of way), and I can see similarities in notes I like: hay, tobacco, leather, vetiver, rose, iris. Of course, that's just in general; I also like plenty of scents that fall into different categories.

My aesthetic tastes are ecclectic, with a tendency toward refined roughness or naturalness, also known as "Wabi Sabi" in Japanese art and culture.

In decorating, I combine spare furniture lines, lush rugs and dark woods. Window treatments are very minimal. I love Arts and Crafts fabric patterns (Morris) and Craftsman architecture and furniture (Stickley, Ellis). I have a lot of books, so bookshelves also figure prominently.

In art, I tend to like very modern, abstract or non-representational work. I also love the masters (Rembrandt, Michelangelo), fine craft objets d'art, antique (i.e. rusty) tools and antique hand-painted pottery/china.

I tend to gravitate toward classic perfumes which transcend time, and also am most attracted to orientals, ambers, musks and all-natural or home-made scents. However, I have more than my fair share of very modern "cheapies" (I love cheap thrills, so exciting!) and a few other diverse scents.

As Taolady mentioned, there is something very pleasing about being open to what is available, and so I will at least *try* things which do not fall within my aesthetic. It is always very enjoyable to try something new--it really stretches me and allows me to appreciate new things I might not have otherwise.

This is a great thread - it's really got me thinking.
I do find I surprise myself. I think I'm one way (gothic, Arts and Crafts Victoriana) but then I look around my home and it's not like that (all-white walls, wood floors, mix of modern and antiques but all fairly clean lines and designed for purpose - our sofa is comfortable and yes, there's room on the tables to put a drink down). The same goes for my perfume collection - I've been astonished to find JC Ellena is my 'dream nose', when I thought I was a straight-up oriental voluptuist.
As far as art goes, I have a soft spot for etchings but I'm not hung up on any particular style. I do like pictures of trees though.
And I like wood in my home. And leather, linen, cotton, sheepskin, wool...
Hmm.
Very thought provoking. I'm going to go and stand in front of my fragrance collection and see if they make me think of art or eras...
Brilliant thread Seattlelight!

I had a drawing class which was based on the book "Drawing from the Artist Within". The gist is that artists don't always draw based on the visual perception (even though that is central to visual art). Exercises were done to engage other senses in the context of drawing. It was interesting to see how each student responded, and how each person's style was primarily based in one of the types of sensing activities.

I have also wondered about why certain people are more drawn to music versus visual art, for example...or dance. How does each person experience the "art"? I think scent is really just another category in this list of sensory appreciation, so this thread really hits the target for me.

I would agree with the "textures for the nose" comment. Given how you interact with senses, and how illumination of a scent may trigger other senses and sense memories ... it definitely could be art and sometimes the most profound.

Examples:

I tried Joy Parfum for the first time - and the baroque richness triggered a sense of the room filled with flowers, white flowers crammed into every nook and cranny of the room I was in. Wonderful! Also, CdG Odeur 53 and 71 both gave me a sense of electonics and dusty circuit boards in a dry dry room ...

All of it has an "art" response in me that I get when at art museums. Hard to explain, really, but thats all how I can explain it.

Last edited by Bromo33333; 15th May 2008 at 05:53 PM.

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“… [I] recall thinking that the computer would never advance much further than this. Call me naïve, but I seemed to have underestimated the universal desire to sit in a hard plastic chair and stare at a screen until your eyes cross.” ~ David Sedaris

The experience of visualizing while experiencing a scent - that's a gift. That doesn't happen to me and how I wish it would. I just get a "feeling" / an intuition - totally abstract - and I have to struggle to come up with anything concrete; frequently, I just can't relate it to anything concrete.

Very interesting and thought-provoking thread. For me, it seemed at first that there was no relationship - until I realized that (and this is very geeky) I needed to match up whether the fragrance or the art was "input" or "output". For instance, I like to appreciate all kinds of art, from quiet and ancient to loud and modern, and I like to smell all kinds of fragrances on other people. In my own case, however, I feel very strongly in using only fragrances which match my mood. Likewise, in terms of decor, writing, or even personal grooming (all of which are about as far as I go with art), I cannot do what my mood is not giving me at that moment. However, that can vary quite a bit.

So, surprisingly, the answer is yes, they match, but not in the way I originally thought they might match!

Great question & thread discussion.
I don't want to limit myself to any one style!
However, there is a cluster of things which hangs together well, and I'm totally pre-disposed to like such things. They still have to be good quality, but the mere fact that they fit in this cluster gets my radar going.
Mediterranean culture, ancient and modern. Art, history, literature
Mediterranean cuisine

So I'm a sucker for Greco-Roman themed fragrances. And anything in a herbal-lemon chypre style (which is how I like to think of such times) is my basic sort of go-to scent.

"Life is short, art is long, and opportunity is fleeting..." attributed to Hippocrates.

My artistic loves are theatre, music of most all syles(not gangsta rap) classical art,cannot stand current mens' fashion?(boring and way too conservative-no style). In architecture, Frank Lloyd Wrights' Usonian period, his protege, Fay Jones, Bauhaus, Craftsman style bungaloes,Post and Beam and Adirondack Log homes. Let's also toss in golf, sailing, the art of a mahogany Chris Craft barrell back, automobile road racing, fine wine, great food. The preference of a Corvette over a BMW, a Jag over an Aston Martin, an FX 50 over a Cayenne, and the most beautiful car ever...the Lamborghini Miura. If you know of a frag or two that will match up, please send word to me, I'd love to know.

My artistic loves are theatre, music of most all syles(not gangsta rap) classical art,cannot stand current mens' fashion?(boring and way too conservative-no style). In architecture, Frank Lloyd Wrights' Usonian period, his protege, Fay Jones, Bauhaus, Craftsman style bungaloes,Post and Beam and Adirondack Log homes. Let's also toss in golf, sailing, the art of a mahogany Chris Craft barrell back, automobile road racing, fine wine, great food. The preference of a Corvette over a BMW, a Jag over an Aston Martin, an FX 50 over a Cayenne, and the most beautiful car ever...the Lamborghini Miura. If you know of a frag or two that will match up, please send word to me, I'd love to know. 'Ome is where the 'art is. Willy Richardson, 1973.

This is a *really* interesting thread. I'm glad a couple of you brought this back to the surface!

For me, I think, it's all about balance and harmony of elements. This applies to music, visual art, writing, architecture, and yes -- fragrance. A composition of any kind can be simple or complex, spare or lush, but for it to appeal to me, it has to be put together really well.

I am a fan of soliflore fragrances and I love Georgia O'Keeffe's huge flowers! I never saw the connection before.

Also I love violets fragrances, and collect a variety of vintage teacups and teapots (and related porcelain items) with violets transfers....I have well over 50 at last count so they are a significant decor item for me in kitchen and dining room.